Customer Reviews

The New Retirement: Revised and Updated: The Ultimate Guide to the Rest of Your Life

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This excellent book looks not only at the financial, but the social and emotional aspects of retiring. I found the chapter on reprogramming your time especially helpful. I have a financial background and I think the chapters dealing with financial matters were right on point and well researched. Anyone looking for one stop shopping on the topic of retirement planning will find this book essential.

I purchased the first edition of this book when it came out in 2004, and was delighted to see that a new edition has been published. The book is completely updated and revised, and has all the information about health, relocation, working in retirement, finances, leisure time activities, finding a second career, travel, worksheets, and questionnaires. It really is the "Ultimate Guide to the Rest of Your Life," and by far the best retirement book out there.

I have been looking at a lot of books recently in preparation for retirement, but none has been so comprehensive and well-written or answered so many of my questions (even questions I never thought about) as this one. I especially liked the "report cards" on retirement locations and the way the financial parts are written in such an understandable way. The book really helped me think about all aspects of retirement, including what I will do during retirement. And it addresses all sorts of retiring people, including single/divorced/widowed individuals, which is just what I needed. I now realize that finding a place to retire to is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to retirement planning. After reading this book, I feel much more confident that I can devise a good plan that will guide me for the rest of my life.

I received this book as a gift for my 55th birthday. It's perfect! It looks at all facets of retirement - money, where to live, working after retiring, travel, health, volunteering, even the psychology of retirement (such as renegotiating roles with a spouse or significant other). It's all-inclusive, yet specific.

I liked the way the authors talked about places to retire, and described both strengths and weaknesses (I have to disagree with the previous review about it being a pile of real estate brochures - one chapter deals with where to live within the US and one chapter deal with living outside of the US). The other eight chapters deal with other important topics relative to retirement.

This book is the kind of gift that I'll use over the next several years.

The New Retirement is mostly geared toward couples which I am not but it is still helpful in sorting out all the retirement options. I have recommended this book to everyone I know who is within a few years of retirement. Retirement is such an important part of our lives. I hope everyone takes some serious time to research and to plan this very exciting opportunity. I found this book to be a great way to start!

Dear Janet,

I'm sorry you were disappointed in the book. Referring to the second edition (perhaps you downloaded the first edition?) Kendal is on page 275; CCRCs (Continuing Care Retirement Communities) on 276 - 277; active adult communities on pages 271 - 273, and Chapters 5, 6, and 7 discuss places to retire.

As the back of the book says, "This all-inclusive guide covers every aspect of planning your ideal retirement." That is the target audience of the book - those who are planning for retirement. You mentioned you are already retired, so it may not be as useful to you as to the intended audience - those planning for retirement.

Again, I'm sorry you were disappointed with your purchase, but if you have the second edition, please check the pages I referenced; in addition, I have included additional resources on pages 459 - 466 that you should find useful.

Regards,
Jan Cullinane

This book claims to be the "ultimate guide to the rest of your life" and it is, but it is a guide. Readers will still need to supplement the "ultimate guide" with books that are specific and detailed. As an example, the "Making your money last" section is 43 pages and the last chapter on taxes is just 28 pages. Your library will most probably need other books on these subjects, but as a guide, this book does contain several excellent questionnaires and an appendix with a resources list that should help readers find more specific answers to retirement issues. It includes information for retirees, and soon to be retirees, about health, relocation, working in retirement, finances, leisure time activities, finding a second career, travel, etc. I also recommend a visit to her website, www.thenewretirement.com.

Paul Puckett, Author
Investiphobia: You Can Invest Without Fear!

I was quite disappointed in this book. It's basically a pile of real estate brochures supplemented by lists ("Moving Planner Checklist, Relocation Checklist") and the usual obligatory retirement topics, which are better treated elsewhere. This book might be useful for people just starting to think about retirement, but I found it superficial rather than comprehensive, and overly biased towards relocating rather than retiring in your own community. (Maybe it's a nit, but how can you trust their advice when they can't even spell the name of the town? It's "Fort Meyers" [incorrect] on page 154 and "Fort Myers" elsewhere.) Brace yourself for more of these tossed-together volumes as publishers try to ride the retiring-boomer wave.

This book gives you a lot of info you should be using if you are planning to retire in a year or two. Easy to read and well put together, kind of on the lighter side. A must book for the nearing retirement person. Got the book at a huge discount by shopping Amazon.

This is a "how to" book.

Buying it is just the beginning; but be aware that it straddles the old school and new realities both - and I am not too sure that it recognizes the differences that are needed for a successful retirement in the future - no one can predict the future, but I think that this will need to be updated soon.

On the other hand, this may be one of the most comprehensive books on retirement currently available.